Method and 3d printing system for manufacturing a physical object

Abstract

A 3D printing system ( 10 ) for manufacturing at least one physical object comprises at least one reservoir ( 12 ) for receiving hardenable material; at least one light engine ( 22 ) configured to irradiate light onto a focal plane within the reservoir of the hardenable material to form a layer of hardened material; at least one build platform ( 18 ) for carrying the physical object to be manufactured; and a controller configured to select at least one or at least two optical resolutions from two or more optical resolutions available in the 3D printing system for irradiating the hardenable material based on a predetermined surface quality of the physical object to be manufactured.

1 . A method of manufacturing at least one physical object by means of a single 3D printing system, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) providing at least one hardenable material;   b) selecting at least two optical resolutions from two or more optical resolutions available in the 3D printing system for irradiating the hardenable material;   c) selectively hardening a layer of the hardenable material by irradiating light having the at least two selected optical resolutions provided by at least two light engines provided within the 3D printing system onto a focal plane within the hardenable material to form a layer of hardened material; and   d) displacing the layer of hardened material relative to the focal plane of the irradiated light;   wherein selecting the at least two optical resolutions is based on a predetermined surface quality of the at least one physical object to be manufactured.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical resolution is selected by selecting at least one light engine from a plurality of light engines provided in the 3D printing system, each light engine having a different set optical resolution. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical resolution is selected by selecting a zoom setting of a zoomable optics of at least one light engine, wherein different zoom settings provide different focal lengths. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two physical objects having different predetermined surface qualities are manufactured by the 3D printing system simultaneously, each by means of at least one separate light engine of at least two light engines provided within the 3D printing system, wherein the at least two light engines have different selected optical resolutions, wherein a higher optical resolution is selected for the physical object to be manufactured having a higher predetermined surface quality. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one physical object is manufactured in the 3D printing system by means of the at least two light engines having different selected optical resolutions, wherein preferably the at least one physical object is manufactured simultaneously by the at least two light engines. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer of hardened material is displaced relative to the focal plane of the irradiated light discontinuously by displacing the layer of hardened material by a step size. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer of hardened material is displaced relative to the focal plane of the irradiated light continuously and concurrently with step c) by displacing the layer of hardened material at a set or variable displacement speed. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the layers of hardened material of the at least two physical objects to be manufactured are displaced synchronously. 
     
     
         10 . A 3D printing system for manufacturing at least one physical object, comprising:
 at least one reservoir for receiving hardenable material;   at least two light engines configured to irradiate light onto a focal plane within the reservoir of the hardenable material to form a layer of hardened material;   at least one build platform for carrying the physical object to be manufactured;   a controller configured to select at least two optical resolutions from two or more optical resolutions available in the 3D printing system for irradiating the hardenable material based on a predetermined surface quality of the physical object to be manufactured.   
     
     
         11 . The 3D printing system according to  claim 10 , comprising at least one displacing unit for displacing the at least one reservoir and/or the at least one build platform. 
     
     
         12 . The 3D printing system according to  claim 10 , wherein the 3D printing system comprises at least two reservoirs and/or at least two build platforms for manufacturing at least two physical objects. 
     
     
         13 . The 3D printing system according to  claim 10 , wherein the 3D printing system comprises at least two displacing units for displacing the at least two reservoirs and/or the at least two build platforms individually. 
     
     
         14 . The 3D printing system according to  claim 10 , wherein the 3D printing system comprises at least two light engines each having different set optical resolutions. 
     
     
         15 . The 3D printing system according to  claim 10 , further comprising a memory configured to store settings of predetermined desired surface qualities of physical objects to be manufactured, wherein the controller can communicate with the memory to select the at least one optical resolution based on the settings selected from the memory.